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EXPEDICIONES
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Testimonies
YAK EXPEDICIONES has years of experience running rivers in rafts
and kayaks in addition to sea kayaking courses and trips throughout
Chile. But... who else could recommend an adventure
tourism company better than a satisfied client?
Our Clients Opinions
Greetings from the UK !!!
We arrived home yesterday and have now finally managed to unpack
the cases and clear everything away....
Many many thanks for organising a wonderful expedition for us -
as you know both Ruth and I thoroughly enjoyed the sea kayaking
expedition, it was far more impressive and enjoyable than even we
expected.... most of that is due to your contribution and planning
throughout the trip, thanks again....
I have also checked the photographs, which are really impressive
and will provide a permanent reminder of a wonderful time that we
had in Chile....
Best wishes and thanks again
John and Ruth Mottram
UK - FULL Northern Patagonia Fiords 6 days / Pumalin Park
January 2007
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Our family recently took a kayaking trip to the Northern Patagonia
Fiords and Pumalin Park with Yak Expediciones (www.yakexpediciones.cl)
of Puerto Varas, Chile, based on a friend’s recommendation.
The location, one of the most stunning destinations in the world,
features abundant animal life (we paddled with pods of dolphins
and sea lions, as well as countless bird species), stunning geography,
dramatic natural features like thermal hot springs and plunging
waterfalls, varied paddling conditions, and interesting locals.
Yak Expediciones provided first-rate equipment, a well-developed
itinerary, a safe paddling environment, a varied menu and a connection
to the local population in their environment. Our ten year-old daughter
paddled in a double with the guide, company owner Juan Federico
Zuazo, providing us with a very strong safety net in a remote location.
We had great confidence in his paddling skills and his depth of
experience in the area.
Our trip took place in late November and lasted six days. Highlights
of the trip included the campsites (several of which had hot springs),
the stunning waterfalls and mountain views, our interactions with
the colonos (pioneer families), and the fact that our daughter could
experience one of the planet’s natural wonders semi-independently
in a kayak.
Marcel Rodriguez, Jennifer Owen and McKinley Rodriguez
Portland, Oregon, USA - FULL Northern Patagonia Fiords 6 days
/ Pumalin Park
November 2006
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Hola Juan-
Thank you so much for the pictures. I had a great time on my trip.
It was fun and challenging and I learned a lot about myself and
my abilities. I really enjoyed our group and I learned a lot about
Chile and the "real" people who live there. Being out
of the water so close to the sea lions and hiking in the rainforest
and relaxing in the hot springs were my highlightsl. What lovely
kind people we met. So generous to complete strangers.
The hardest part was coming home and having to go back to an office
building where we have no open windows and fresh air. I like your
"office" much better. Thank you so much. I will never
forget my trip.You were a wonderful guide and I know you worked
very hard to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone. It made a big
difference in my life. Thank you for "opening my
eyes" to a different world and showing me my potential. Please
keep in touch.
Susan Gabrielson
U.S.A - Northern Patagonia Fiords 11 days / Pumalin Park
Febrero 2006
......................................................................................
Sea Kayaking the Northern Patagonia Fjords and Pumalin Park:
The X region of Chile is an amazing natural playground of mountains,
lakes, sea and forests. A unique way to enjoy its most pristine
qualities is to sea kyak the fjords of Northern Patagonia in the
Pumalin Park preserve (created by controversial American billionaire
Douglas Tomkins), which is only accessible from the sea.
Although the area is relatively remote and isolated, any reasonably
fit person can participate in an affordable six day self-supported
sea kyak trip led by YAK EXPEDICIONES owner and guide Juan-Fe Zuazo.
The trip and the scenery are well described on the YAK website (www.yakexpediciones.cl)
but our experience of it far exceeded our expectations. It was really
something special to be almost the only
people in a completely pristine environment of forested mountains
dropping straight into fjords (The only negative is the occasional
badly situated salmon farm). One morning we made an early start
before
dawn to avoid wind, and paddling my kyak through the phosphorescent
wake of the next kyak I thought: Goodness here I am in the pitch
dark, in a remote fjord and Northern Patagonia. I could never have
done this by myself ?.
Zuazo´s programme and leadership was seamless and professional,
successfully moulding a diverse group of individuals with varying
physical abilities, into a cohesive and motivated party that enjoyed
working together - If we were troops we would have happily followed
Zuazo into battle. The safety of the expedition was always implicit
and explicit in every action by our guide, and everyone soon fell
into the
disciplines of operating in a safe way. Adverse weather conditions
are part of the experience, but the expedition is well equipped
for this. We experienced a full day of paddling and setting up camp
in the rain.
Zuazo offered the alternative of paddling back to the base camp
with its warm farmhouse and food, but the group voted unanimously
to continue with the plan to camp in the Comau Fjord.
An additional dimension to the experience is the integration of
the trip with the local community. The isolated rural people of
the area still live a largely traditional farming and fishing lifestyle,
and the
expedition uses a local family´s farm as a base. Zuazo is
an honorary and well loved ¿son? of the family, which hosts
the group with traditional Chilean hospitality.
For me this was one the most special travelling experiences. I
would highly recommend it to anyone who loves the outdoors and is
comfortable camping.
Peter Britz
South Africa - Northern Patagonia Fiords 6 days / Pumalin Park
March 2006
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Thanks a lot for am amazing trip and a truely unforgettable experience.
Your were a great guide and your sense of homour made it very special.
Your words of using ´windows´and vamos will accompany
iud to New Zealand.
So don´t be surprised when you come to New Zeland to hear
these words floating around.
:-)
Stuart and Katja
New Zeland- Seakayak Exploration Northern Icefield - San Rafael
Glacier
Marzo 2006
......................................................................................
Dear Friends,
I just came back from a 6-day sea-kayak trip in the South of Chile
and I thought I needed to share my experience with you, with the
hope that others will have the opportunity of finding this very
well-kept secret!
The trip took place in the Pumalin park, just south of Puerto
Montt in Chile. The park has some of the most beautiful fiords I
have ever seen, with very steep mountains covered in dense jungle-like
forests. This was a self-sustained trip, i.e., you take everything
you need for the six days (tents, sleeping bags, clothing, food,
gear) with you in the kayaks, with no power boats near-by to disturb
the peace of the place! Also you get to paddle by dolphins and by
sea-lion colonies!!!
The organization of the trip was flawless with anextremely professional
guide, Juan Federico Zuazo. "JuanFe" has more than 20
years of sea-kayak experience around the World and knows the Chilean
fiords better than the local inhabitants there! ... in fact he knows
the local people very well, and as part of the trip we had lunches
and dinners at their homes! This is a great opportunity to have
fun, get to know gorgeous places, interact with local people, and
exercise. No previous kayaking experience is needed, but being is
decent shape is advisable (you don´t have to be trained, but
will need to paddle for a few hours a day in a relaxed, but sustained
pace).
Gerry Garbulsky
Business Consultant ,Buenos Aires – Argentina
Northern Patagonia Fiords 6 days / Pumalin Park
Febrero 2006
......................................................................................
I was reassured by the "Who we are" section of the website
since it is a good description of the company philosophy and your
extensive experience. It was wonderful to be in such a remote area,
the scenery is spectacular, and a self-supported trip gives you
both freedom to change the plans and a sense of accomplishment at
the end. We were lucky to have great weather for paddling, hiking,
and relaxing in the hot springs.
More than anything else, this trip was well organised, emphasised
safety, and was a lot of fun! . The food and wine were delicious
and I really appreciated that you and the colonos family were so
accommodating of everyone's eating preferences.
Adelene Tan
U.S.A - Northern Patagonia Fiords 6 days / Pumalin Park
February 2005
......................................................................................
I am a USAF physician working in Chile, South America on an exchange
program with the Chilean Air Force. My husband and I have been very
active with outdoor sports that take full advantage of the Chilean
climate. One of our favorite past times has been kayaking through
the many diverse regions of Chile. When we first arrived to Chile
we had very little experience with expedition kayaking so we contacted
a company which was highly recommended by Chilean and resident U.S.
citizen kayakers alike.
This company is YAK EXPEDICIONES owned by Juan Federico Zuazo based
in Santiago, Chile. YAK EXPEDICIONES specializes in organizing and
leading single and multi-day expeditions all over Chile to include
the Patagonia regions.
We have been on several trips led by YAK EXPEDICIONES to include
an absolutely unforgettable self-supported trip through the Patagonian
Fjords in Pumalin Park as well as a supported trip to Isla Damas.
This company is very safety conscious, always starting each trip
with safety briefings with instruction that continues throughout
the trip. They take no chances as they understand very well how
variable and hostile the weather can be in this area.
One of the special touches this company incorporates into each
trip are opportunities to share stories and dinners with some of
the locals of each area, some of whom have lived isolated from the
rest of Chile (and the world) all their lives. This also gives the
extra safety advantage in that the locals help with weather forecasts
and motor boat transportation if necessary.
There are many beautiful areas to kayak in Chile, but the best
places are very remote and can be dangerous to explore without prior
knowledge of weather patterns, currents and available camping spots.
YAK EXPEDICIONES has allowed us to explore those majestic areas
while having the peace of mind that all is being handled in a professional
and safe manner with new state of the art kayaking gear which includes
mapping GPS, satellite telephone, etc. Furthermore, Mr. Zuazo is
an marvelous photographer and will provide all interested clients
digital photo files of excellent quality
Stephanie and Greg Schaefer
U.S.A - Northern Patagonia Fiords, Pumalin Park and Isla Dama (Humboldt
Pinguin Natural Reserve,IV)
December 2004 and May 2005
......................................................................................
It was a very good trip that I shall remember for the rest of my
life, and I enjoyed paddling with you, and meeting all the Collonos.
Michael Counter
England - Exploración kayak de mar Glaciar San Rafael
March 2005
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Ahora, ya envuelta en la vorágine de Santiago y del trabajo
a veces cierro los ojos y regreso a Cholgo, Cahuelmó y esos
espectaculares fiordos, a esos atardeceres plácidos, sin
nada que hacer salvo admirar el paisaje, observar la maravilla de
la naturaleza que nos hace sentir tan pequeños pero tan afortunados
de poder estar allí, escuchar los pájaros, verlos
en su vuelo, mirar las nubes y el cielo, ese cielo estrellado que
sólo podemos ver cuando logramos alejarnos lo suficiente
de la gran ciudad.
No digo más porque me voy a deprimir, este año mi
aliento viene del pensamiento optimista de poder hacer el recorrido
de 12 días el próximo verano.
María Teresa Iturbe
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
February 2005
......................................................................................
Hola,
just wanted to say thanks again for a great trip. It was a pleasure
meeting you and and your excellent hospitality . I´ll definitely
promote this trip upon our return to California.
Karl Hroza
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
November 2004
......................................................................................
Yes, I had a really, really, terrific time in Patagonia, and I
have you to thank for such wonderful lifetime memories. (And, the
food was awesome, too!)
Chris Pahl
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
November 2004
......................................................................................
Nos unimos a la última expedición ofrecida por YAK
EXPEDICIONES en esta temporada, seis días por el Parque Pumalín
y los fiordos de la patagonia norte, entre el 15 y el 21 de Marzo
de 2004. Es una compleja operación logística, tanto
de seres humanos como de equipo para poder tener el privilegio de
una intensa experiencia con el propio esfuerzo y voluntad personal,
de apreciar quizá uno de los más espectaculares paisajes
naturales aún existentes. Venimos de latitudes tropicales
y quizá para nosotros fué aún mas impactante.
Su gestor es una persona con amplísima experiencia en el
tema, manejando todo lo relacionada con la seguridad,comunicación
y logística del dezplazamiento, con una precisión
casi de una operación militar. Así mismo, al cabo
de varios años, ha creado unos vínculos de fraternidad
y amistad con los pescadores y colonos de la zona, contando la expedición
de ayuda incondicional en caso de alguna emergencia. El guía
conoce su mar y la gente que vive del mar.
Nunca se regresa completamente de esos fiordos. Es un privilegio
casi egoísta tener todo esa naturaleza, solo con seis kayakistas,
sin los hordas del turismo convencional.Que más se puede
pedir que navegar a escasos metros de una colonia de lobos marinos
y ver como ellos siguen el rastro del kayak, como el ganado siguiendo
el vaquero?
Alberto Valenzuela Rocha
Colombia
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
March 2004
......................................................................................
If you wish to see the beauty of Chile in a very unique way, I highly
recommend it be done by kayak. For a week, I paddled through the
fjords of Chiloé and Pumalin Park in Northern Patagonia on a trip
offered by YAK EXPEDICIONES. It was an amazing experience and I
felt like a new person when the trip ended because it was challenging
and yet personally rewarding.
The scenery was absolutely breath-taking. Watching the towering
mountains kiss the sea, seeing numerous waterfalls cascade down
sheer cliffs, observing the sea change several different colors,
paddling with dolphins and other marine life, and then finishing
off a long day soaking in a natural hot spring were just a few of
my most memorable and favorite parts of the trip. In addition to
the exercise and spectacular scenery.
I also valued the experience because I learned a great deal about
the past and present situation in southern Chile by listening to
stories from Juan-fe (my guide from YAK), a Chilean family who provided
me and my group with a delicious meal and place to stay, and the
park rangers at one of my campsites. It was simply awesome and I
highly recommend this adventure to anyone who is athletically inclined
and loves nature. The guides from YAK are of top quality and I completely
trusted the navigational and safety expertise of Juan-fe. YAK also
provided me with almost all of my equipment and assisted me with
the logistics in planning my trip, proving to be extremely flexible
in altering the trip itinerary based on my wishes to see other locations
in the area.
Amy Flickinger
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
January 2003
......................................................................................
From my perspective the trip was wonderful! The kayaking was excellent,
the hikes were fantastico, and the friendships aquired superb.
The trip not only introduced us to the natural wonders of Patagonia,
it provided a great opportunity to meet and experience the hospitality
of the Patagonian colonials. This, is what I will remember the most.
Robert Karwowski
USA
Seakayak Expedition,Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park, 11
days
March 04
......................................................................................
Al ir pasando los días...como que me enamoré más
y más de haber estado allá, de haberlo hecho solita...y
en general de darme el tiempo para hacer algo que es absolutamente
fuera de cualquier cosa que alguna vez hubiese hecho.....
Ximena Díaz
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
January 2004
......................................................................................
We are back home and we were met by 10-inches of snow on the ground.
Quite a shock.We've shared your photos with family since arriving
back here and everyone is impressed with the trip and scenery. Thank
you again for sharing them with us.
Paul Allan
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
January 2004
......................................................................................
Muchas gracias, la verdad sobrepasaron ampliamente mis expectativas!!!.
Paula Broitman
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
January 2004
......................................................................................
We just had one of the most wonderful experience kayaking the South
of Chile
with Yak Expeditions. We paddle for 6 days in one of the most extraordinary
landscape we ever been.
My wife Mary + 4 other people 1 from Germany, one from the Uk,
one from
Australia + my wife English and myself Chile sharing 6 days with
Juan
Federico Zuazo our guide.
We valued Juan Federico experience, being in charge of all the
logistics and
careful palnning all the details for a succesful trip.
We were able to be with local people from the South of Chile and
experince
their hospitality, the trip cover some extraordinary paddling direction
South. Stoping over some natural hot springs which after 4 hours
paddling
was the perfect finish. Camping in between some dramatic land scape
natural
forest overlooking the mountain cover with a snow top.
We fully recomend this trip is well planned, all details are being
taken
into consideration, food, drinks and good tents to spent the night.
The
kayak are fisrt class equiped with good spary decks and good paddle.
If you
like adventure like nothing else, and you are interested in meeting
local
peolple from Chile, this is the trip for you.
Raul Katz
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
December 2003
......................................................................................
Gracias a ti Juanfe por una experiencia única y unos días
para reflexionar admirando los fiordos
Juan Pablo Moro
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
November 2003
......................................................................................
Quiero agradecerte por el manifico viaje que nos planificaste,
realmente el impacto visual es indescriptible y debe ser una de
las cosas mas motivantes que he hecho en mi vida sin exagerar.
Arturo Peña y Lillo
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
April 2003
......................................................................................
I would like to inform you that my son and I participated in a
sea kayaking expedition with YAK EXPEDICIONES in February visiting
the Continental Chiloé Fiords .It was an unforgettable experience
due to the majestic natural scenery, the perfect organization of
the trip (prepared for meteorological conditions, tides and
land radio contacts), as well as it's excellent infrastructure (good
quality, and comfortable kayaks) and the care taken with details
(food, disposal of wastes, etc.) .The instructor and guide demonstrated
great experience, prudence, and prevision of events in addition
to easily succeeding at integrating the group, an essential condition
for successfully transforming this experience into that of a physical
presence. Highly recommended.
Dr. Patricio Herrera L.
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
February 2002
......................................................................................
This short passage is to salute all the members of the expedition
who have shared this experience together ( and that we passed will
flying colors!!!) I am grateful for the beautiful moments and
to all for such great attitudes and team spirit. The places that we
traveled were even more beautiful having the opportunity to share
them with great company and I believe that the memory of this great
experience will stay with all of us.
Carlos Talauer
Argentina
September 2002
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Hi, we just finished taking a trip through Chile, while we were
there we had the opportunity to take a sea kayaking trip through the
Humboldt Penguin National Reserve. The trip was planned with YAK EXPEDICIONES (www.yakexpediciones.cl)
and the truth is that we were very satisfied with their services.
The planned trip allowed us to paddle amongst sea lions with
minimal impact put upon them and their ecosystem, to see penguins,
cormorants and with luck you can see dolphins . All day long their
are activities to do, traveling through the Isla Damas, paddling
at night...; the paddling and camping materials were all of great
quality as well as the food which was varied and abundant during the
entire 3 days of our trip. In the end, it was a very interesting
experience and we recommend to those would like to experience life
in an alternative fashion to take this opportunity to visit the
Humboldt Penguin National Park by kayak.
Javier Hernández
Spain
September 2002
......................................................................................
I would like to recommend the company YAK EXPEDICIONES to those
who are interested in taking a sea kayaking trip. They services
they offer are clearly the best in Chile; very professional, responsible,
safe, with excellent equipment and well planned. The places they
visit are the most beautiful places found in our country, such as
Isla Dama, Humboldt Penguin National Reserve, IV region; Bueno River
until the sea, Pumalin Park -Northern Patagonia. Lastly, the
courses are very good and grant you adequate preparation to continue
with Sea or River Kayaking trips.
Juan Pablo Pastorino
Chile
May 2002
......................................................................................
I would like to recommend the YAK EXPEDICIONES company for sea
kayaking trips due to a high grade of satisfaction and
professionalism.
The knowledge about the places visited and their experience allow
you to enjoy each trip in it's totality. Security is another
important aspect highlighted by this company: each trip is well
planned ahead of time, giving priority to security, equipment
recommendations, and food among other important aspects which the
company will recommend before initiating the trip.
José Romero
Chile
April 2002
......................................................................................
I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Chile
and Argentina. I wanted to write to tell you about the highlight
of my vacation because I thought that you might want to share it
with your customers/friends/subscribers.
My friend and I went on a 3 day sea kayaking trip with YAK EXPEDICIONES.
Although I contacted several kayaking outfitters, only Yak was
willing to construct a trip that met my needs. They created a wonderful
trip through the fjords in Parque Pumalin. When we arrived in Chile
we met the guide and learned we would be joined by two Chileans.
These three (the two and the guide) made the trip an absolutely
amazing experience. JuanFe (our guide) was bilingual and helped
translate. My friend spoke limited Spanish, and the two Chileans,
Claudio and Andres, spoke only a little English, but somehow we
still managed to communicate and have a wonderful time.
The kayaking was beautiful. Amazingly, we had stunning weather--absolutely
perfect. It was sunny the whole time (the last week in February
2002) and the Chileans thought it was hot. My friend and I thought
it was perfect. The fjords were dramatic and the water a beautiful
green. The kayaking was challenging, but not difficult. One of
the things that is special about YAK EXPEDICIONES is that the trip
is totally self-supported. That means that once we leave the land,
we're on our own--no motor boats tagging along with us, no vans
waiting for us at the camp site. Everything we needed for the entire
trip was packed into our kayaks. Amazingly, they guide much longer
trips and still manage to carry everything with them!
I was extremely luck and spotted two dolphins on the way home.
There were a lot of birds, and the trees and flowers on the shore
and the waterfalls were gorgeous. We had to watch the tide and
wind carefully so we weren't caught where we didn't want to be.
I was surprised that the water levels between low and high tide
were so different!
JuanFe also was appropriately concerned with safety. He made sure
we understood the basic paddling stroke, taking care to ensure
we didn't paddle inappropriately and risk injury. He also made
sure we knew what to do if it became overly windy or we capsized
(tipped over). He carried a radio that he could contact other fishermen
on in case of an emergency, and we always wore life jackets. He
provided good-quality equipment including paddling jackets and
spray skirts, and comfortable tents.
Another fun part of the trip was staying with a Colonos family.
We spent one night with them before leaving and ate with them on
the return. They were able to share some stories about life before
the road was put in, and fed us an unbelievable amount of food.
If I get a chance to return to Chile, I will certain make sure
that sea kayaking with YAK EXPEDICIONES is part of my vacation.
His friendly personality and reasonable prices are perfect for
everyone.
Sincerely,
Anna Cederberg
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
April 2002
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Soy un fanático del Kayak de Mar (Sea Kayak) con mas de
cinco años de práctica de este deporte, pero es en
los últimos 3 años en los que realmente he podido
disfrutar este espectacular pasatiempo.
En Chile, a pesar de ser un país con extensas costas y
antepasados piragüistas, este deporte no ha tenido mucho desarrollo
y por lo tanto es difícil juntar un grupo de kayakistas
para salir a recorrer las costas,
lagos o ríos de nuestro territorio.
Es por eso que la labor de YAK EXPEDICIONES, con Juan Federico
Zuazo a la cabeza, es digna de ser reconocida. A través de
la variada gama de alternativas que ofrece YAK, he podido disfrutar
de apasionantes salidas a surfear en kayak a las costas del litoral
central de Chile, realicé una inolvidable expedición
a la Isla Damas (Isla de los Delfines), Punta Choros, en la región
de Atacama y en febrero pasado, experimenté la máxima
expresión del kayak de mar al realizar una travesía
auto-soportada por los fiordos de la Patagonia Norte, Chiloé
Continental, extremo norte del Parque Pumalín.
Esta experiencia es sin duda el doctorado de esta disciplina. Con
ella, no sólo se disfruta de un maravilloso viaje por una
región aún semi-virgen y racionalmente explotada por
el turismo, sino que se aprende desde la A a la Z del Kayak de Mar.
El viaje cuenta con una detallada planificación en torno
los significativos cambios en las mareas que ocurren en estas latitudes,
pero al mismo tiempo es flexible y variado para ajustarse al cambiante
clima y a los intereses de los participantes. El carácter
de auto-soportado no significa en ningún momento tener que
someterse a sacrificios innecesarios, ya que la logística
de cinco estrellas, desde el menú de comidas hasta el equipo
para acampar, permite reponer tranquilamente en cada lugar de descanso
las energías gastadas durante las jornadas de remo. Estas
últimas están cuidadosamente planeadas y se cuenta
permanentemente con un apoyo vía radio VHF para informarse
de las condiciones climáticas, el estado de mar y el escaso
tráfico marítimo.
Las recomendaciones sobre lo que hay que llevar y que YAK entrega
antes del viaje, reflejan la vasta experiencia de Juan Federico
Zuazo, respaldada por sus permanentes entrenamientos con NOLS.
Con todo esto, les recomiendo sinceramente las actividades de
YAK EXPEDICIONES para todas aquellas personas que disfrutan del
verdadero contacto con la naturaleza, en especial el mar, a través
de una actividad física que se puede desarrollar con toda
la familia, en forma segura y con una excelente logística,
sin caer en la sofisticación de esas expediciones de mantel
blanco y pisco-sour servido en bandeja al final de cada trayecto
del viaje. Para eso existen los cruceros.
Juan Andrés Morel
Chile
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
February 2002
......................................................................................
My trip with you was transforming.
I returned from it with a genuinely different outlook on life and
priorities here in the Big City. In particular, I enjoyed being
away from it all. Northern Patagonia is far, far removed from the
office and New York City. The pace and quality of life that we
encountered there was so different from the pace and quality of
life here. The daily focus on the tides, the wind, the paddle,
and setting up camp is an entirely different context from my daily
focus here. It is not that I re-evaluated life so much as that
I simply take it all in a slightly different way now. And I cannot
wait to return.
The other strengths of the trip were the setting, which was breathtaking;
the exercise, which I don't get enough of here; and the camaraderie.
We were so fortunate to get along so well. Of course, that is largely
to your credit. I thought that you organized and outfitted a rigorous,
yet manageable, trip; and I always felt that we were in the hands
of a true professional, who put safety first (with comfort and
enjoy ability a close second!).
I have no criticisms. At the end of the day, I felt very accomplished.
Huinay was particularly enjoyable. Meeting Patricio and his family
gave me an experience I could not have gained doing most other
kind of travel. And the hike there was a good break from the kayaking.
As for the two fjords, what more could anyone ask for? Spectacular
scenery to match the spectacular weather. The waterfall was nothing
short of thrilling; same for las termas and the gorgeous sunset
we had there.
In short, I look forward to my next trip with you.
James Goldfarb
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
April 2002
......................................................................................
Hola Juan Fe - how are you? I really really really really wish
I were out
kayaking right now. I even miss your cooking.
Laura Rose
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
March 2002
...................................................................................... Five days in a kayak with YAK EXPEDICIONES... Off the stress and
timetable of the rest of the world. No boat following along to
give you an easy out if you get a little winded. No motor drowning
out the lapping of
the waves on your kayak. On your own!
On a kayak trip like this, you first becomes aware of all of the
structures, schedules and timelines that regulate your life back
in the 'real world'. And you celebrate your liberation from those
artificial structures. But then you gradually become aware of the
fact that this free life in the kayak, just like your life back
in the 'real' world, is also regulated and scheduled and placed
on a time line. Only here it is not some artificial, man made schedule.
No, here you are controlled by rhythms that are much larger, much
grander. The tides dictate our coming and going. For instance,
at low tide those marvelous hot springs you soaked in yesterday
would not be on the edge of the water anymore. You would be carrying
the loaded kayak a long, long way. The weather controls your passing
also. Those raging water that you saw yesterday from the comfort
of the hot springs would not have been something you would ever
dream of being out upon in a kayak! And the rhythms of your body
also play into the picture. You cannot fight the bodily aches that
are inevitable. Instead you learn to accept these natural rhythms
and patterns. They are out of your control.
And as you give up the illusion of control over these rhythms,
you flow into the movement of the moment. You experience a depth
of unity with this natural world that now rules you. And you realize
how very magnificent it is to be in accord with this natural rhythm.
Mike Perry
USA
Northern Patagonia Fjords , Pumalin Park
March 2002
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